Astil
by Krete
Summary: Where can you go when there is nowhere to go to? Astil the badger, Elan the ferret, and Laer the shrew must find out when they are exiled from their former 'home'. Rated T for violence
1. Prelude

Prelude 

Disclaimer:The Redwall-verse is Brian Jacques. Everything else is mine.

The ground seemed to quaver with the ferocity of the roar. A vast, menacing, bone-chilling proclamation of rage. A call that nearly awoke the dead, that sent fear down the spine of any creature sentient enough to feel the pain, anger, and disbelief present in the voice. The evil sound emanated from the belly of a single massive beast.

Covered head to footpaw with cuts and bruises, the badger gingerly lifted up his battered child. The small maid, life trodden out of her so early, without just cause, would truly have been the epitome of beauty. However, the love bond between father and daughter was great, too much so for the badger's enemies to bear.

Astil had been happy at Tior, or so he thought, until that one day he learned the outside world's true reward. At Tior, he had meals, lodging, anything his heart desired, but at too extreme a cost. He was a captive, unwilling to stay, though he had not known it yet. He quickly learned, however. Anyone who had lived that existence present in Tior, 'free' from responsibility, would have gladly given a limb for just one more hour in that paradise of paradises, that Eden upon earth, freedom.

That outside world is what he had tasted, which drove him to leave his so called 'home', to run away, to escape the horror he now knew dwelled there. He had since then lied, theived, and murdered for what he needed now, an actual dwelling, a house of refuge, or so he thought. He raised a family, watched his pride grow up, until today. Her life was now shattered, because of his dream. An innocent life for an uninnocent dream. An unfair trade, for which he was responsible. Not only he, though, but her killers, also.

His own people.

Memo:I have VERY SHORT CHAPTERS


	2. 1: Delta

1: Delta 

Disclaimer:The redwall world-Brian Jacques The chars and places for right now-me

"Phi Barracks, report to mess hall in three minutes for feeding!" A brawny specimen of a squirrel stood, perched upon an upturned log, alone for yards in the barren field. He was black, a dense black, but it was his eyes that were instantly your subject. They were blood-red, a combination of little sleep, long-repressed rage, and an eternal bloodlust, barely contained within the creature. They drew you in, crushing you with their total suggestion of awesome might, the full likes of which had yet to be witnessed.

"Delta Barracks, rest period in ten minutes, report to Stone now!" The field itself was oppressive, the few beasts on duty out there silent. There was no trace of trees, or grass, or water, or of any pleasant substance at all, just dirt and clay. The only living plants were the sparse smatterings of weeds, not yet trodden by footpaws.

One of the creatures in that spiritually deserted field lifted his head at the last announcement. "'ey, 'til, that's us!" The speaker, a rather small-looking ferret, looked up at his companion, a youngish badger male. The ferret's ears, upturned, waited for an answer, while his eyes darted around nervously, as they always had.

Astil, a rare brown badger, while still with the broad black stripe of his cousins, seemed even larger than usual compared to his associate. The short white ferret still expected an answer. "Yes, I know, Elan. You see, I've been here for, what, seven seasons now? I _think_ I should know what group I'm in."

Elan drooped instantly. The younger animal had only arrived two days ago, and had instantly bonded with Astil. He was, as all who first came to Tior, just out of kithood, and was impressionable, taking many of the badger's mannerisms. This slumping was not one of them. He was clearly hurt, and scrambled for an excuse. "Well, uh, ya see, I, uh..." He trailed off.

Astil could see that he had insulted his young friend, not meaning to sound rude, but unintentionally depressing the ferret. He attemped to apologize, but began to philosophize. "Listen, I'm sorry. It's just, this can't be right, can it? The way we're living? We're like ants, for heaven's sake! We can't choose anything, we're ordered around! It just doesn't seem like the way it was meant to be." On seeing Elan's vacant look, his attention redirected to a ladybug, Astil stopped his tirade.

"Argh, c'mon. We've got to go see Stone."


	3. 2: Stone

2: Stone

Disclaimer:Same as before. Idea-Brian Jacques, everything else for right now, me

He was massive, even so for a wildcat. His fur, a pure, pale gray from age, still had sheen and fullness. He was an great muscle-bound entity, with eyes of emerald, and claws kept filed. He was a beast built for destruction, a veritable machine of war, a Goliath of Ceres, the Land across the Western Sea. This was the one called Stone.

Elan and the rest of the creatures in Delta, an assortment of shrews and ferrets, cowered below him. Astil himself, the lone badger in the group, was only half his size. The badger stared at Stone, not from hate, or envy, or spite, but just intense curiosity. It was a very rare opportunity to see the leader of Tior, and not even the nine-seasoned Astil, the oldest in the group, for there seemed to be nobeast older than eleven seasons at the fort except for those running it, had seen Stone but once.

Stone dismissively glanced down at the Delta barracks, noting those that were weak, frail, or even too strong. For this reason his eyes stayed on the ever-searching Astil, the fretful Elan, and an older shrew, known as Laer. He muttered something to one of his squirrel guards, who quickly left the room. The Wildcat of Terror then turned to face his 'pupils'. "Do any of you know why you are here?"

The always out-of-the-loop Elan replied quickly. "Because we were told to come here?" As soon as he said it, the young ferret realized how the answer might have been taken, and his whole body began to tremble for fear of Stone's reaction.

His reaction was not what Elan was expecting. " 'because you were told to come here' ?" The wildcat glared at a portrait on the wall of the room. The room itself, a granite place, such as all buildings in Tior, was Stone's conference room, where he met with the leaders of the barracks, as well as the private meetings with the barrack-members, such as now.

Suddenly, Stone's face split into a grin. He began to laugh, a very uncommon thing in Tior. Elan began to chuckle nervously, until a quick glance at Astil's solemn face put an end to it. Stone reached out with a giant battle-scarred paw, and pulled Elan close. "No, my dear. You see, I have a mission for you and your friends."

The wildcat's smile widened.


	4. 3: A Mission

3: A Mission 

Disclaimer:Redwall belongs to Brian Jacques. Astil and the rest, me 

Elan visibly paled at Stone's touch. The already white ferret seemed to almost disappear into his surroundings, leaving nothing but a pair of scared, darting eyes. He looked first at Astil, then Stone, then back to the badger. A silent plea formed on his lips, as the wildcat's claws dug into his shoulder. "Help Me!"

Astil was about to rush forward in an attempt to free his friend, but he stayed his massive footpaws in time, as Stone began to chuckle. "You don't want to leave, my child, do you? Then you'll miss the surprise I have for yo and your stripedog friend there. Oh, and you." He pointed at Laer, the eldest shrew. "I need a favor done, and you three seem up to the task."

The Gray One's face hardened, not angrily, but simply losing all expression. He turned to face the rest of the Deltas, a look of power in his eyes, commanding them wordlessly. Of course, that doesn't mean he didn't say anything. "As for the rest of you, it is rest period. I expect you back on duty in eight hours. GO!"

Stone turned back to the three remaining animals. Once the last remaining ferret left the room, any previous hint of kindness on the wildcat's face melted away, leaving only pure fury. He began to laugh again, not like earlier. It was a harsh, evil laugh. "So-o-o. You three are my little idealists. A pipsqueak mouse, a baby ferret, and an overgrown weed? You see, I have ears all over this camp. Nothing you say does not come to me.

Want to escape, do you? Get out of here, live under your own rules? You are here because you had thoughts of leaving this place. For that, you must be punished." At this, Astil looked guiltily at Elan, blood now dripping from his shoulder, vice-grip still in place. The ferret hadn't done anything wrong. It was Astil who had thought of all the ideas, painting pictures for Elan that couldn't possibly be fulfilled.

"You think you can make it out there? Well, that will be your sentence. You will be left out in the wild, no food, supplies, weapons. You will be alone. You wil most likely starve to death... if you're not killed or eaten. In three months, we will send out a search party, who will not return without your bodies."

Elan thought for a moment. Apparently he did not blame Astil for what had befallen him, and decided to make this an opportunity for learning. "And what if we don't starve?"

Stone had already begun walking away. He called out simly, matter-of-factly. "They _will_ return with your bodies." He then left the room, leaving the three to contemplate the meaning of that sentence. 


End file.
